Among those leaving were education minister Robert Goodwill and Mark Garnier, the international trade minister. John Hayes, the transport minister and health minister Philip Dunne both resigned from the government.

The Daily Telegraph reported that backbench Conservative MP Philip Davies complained that May's reshuffle has created a "legitimate concern" that white, male ministers have been "hoofed out" to make way for women or minority ethnic MPs "because they are a white male".

Davies told the Telegraph: "Time will tell as to whether these people have got their jobs on merit or whether they have got them on tokenism. It certainly does not do anyone any favors to promote people who are not ready for promotion just because of their gender or race.

"Time will tell whether these jobs were given on merit or not. But obviously any self-respecting Conservative would say that all jobs should be given on merit and we should be blind to people's gender, race or religion."

May finally completed her reshuffle Tuesday night, moving eight existing members of her government team to new posts. Home Secretary Amber Rudd was also appointed by May as Minister of Women and Equalities.